The Libyan rebels on Wednesday declared a reward worth US$ 1.7 million to anyone who captures or kills Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. The offer was made by local businessmen, and the "Transitional National Council," the political body of the rebels, declared its support to this initiative.

The president of the TNC Mustafa Abdul Jalil, said during a press conference in Benghazi, that "members of (Muammar Gaddafi)'s inner circle who kill him or arrest him will be granted amnesty, which is guaranteed by the people," stressing that "the regime of Muammar Gaddafi will not end as long as he is not arrested or killed. He added that Gaddafi's behavior "makes us all fear of a catastrophe."

Abdul Jalil conveyed that "forces loyal to Gaddafi continue to fire in the compound of Bab al Azizia in Tripoli," which fell Tuesday afternoon in the hands of the rebels. He added that "his supporters will continue to fire as long as he had not been arrested."